Original subtitles

HANDS UP!

written by Jerzy Skolimowski, Andrzej Kostenko

music by Krzysztof Komeda

part of Cosmogony by Krzysztof Penderecki

performed by Great Symphonic Orchestra

conducted by Andrzej Markowski

director of photography Witold Sobocinski

This film was shot in 1967.

It was banned for 14 years by the censors.

I think of this present form of the film as a diary,

to search, in what was recorded years ago,

and in the notes I added in the spring of 1981,

for an answer to the questions: Who were we? Who are we?

Making movies is my job.

This one waited to be released for years.

The time of bad manipulations is over.

It's our turn.

We're older again...

since what's the most important has been getting more and more distant...

All there's left is undefined shape of the weary memory.

Was it Captain Sawicki?

Maybe...

It might have been the other censor...

I never got to know his name.

Is it worth speaking of after all these years?

Hallo?

Hallo?

Captain Sawicki! When I started making this movie in 1967,

I was issued the first summons.

Room 209, turn left at the stairs, 2nd floor.

I think we won't meet face to face ever again.

So this is my only chance to tell you

that the lesson you taught me changed my life.

Because...

you took away my confidence.

Do you still ask the same questions?

Want to give you the names of the people I talked to?

I made no friends in Beirut.

I undertook many different jobs to earn a living.

I also played a part in a German movie called Forgery.

I've been thinking about the cinema as a forgery.

Is film not too trivial of an art

if So much can be achieved with just effective ideas?

Didn't the one who was playing the flute

to make the rats leave the town

use music to deceive them?

Halt!

Hande hoch!

To make it easier to understand

what I've been trying to put together...

I must reconstruct what happened...

...In the first months of 1981.

My country was going through some major changes back then...

Hallo?

Who's calling from the Ministry of Culture?

Alright, I'll hold.

Hallo?

I'm listening...

Hands up!?

But...

After 14 years...

How can I suddenly release that movie?

I don't know. First of all I would have to watch it.

With pleasure... I'm going to come, but I'm not sure when because...

I've got other things on my hands right now.

Viva Solidarity!

Can I get my meat ration for three months today?

Can I get my meat ration for three months today?

Everybody knows that at Speakers Corner one can say what one likes.

Can I get my meat ration for three months today?

At that moment 14 years ago...

I realised that if I was not allowed to make a movie...

I realised that... if I was not allowed to make a movie...

about what I understood...

I was not allowed to speak my thoughts...

I was not allowed to make a movie about my country...

I was not allowed to speak... my thoughts...

If I was issued a summons...

asked to give them names of the people I'd talked to...

I had to emigrate.

You can't make movies in room 209.

Who was Captain Sawicki anyway?

I left my friends in Poland.

In their small studios, through their paintings

they could express themselves

to a greater extent than I could in my films.

Dear colleagues!

After you've had a litre of vodka each,

I'm going to empty my bottle into the sink!

Listen to me!

Because usually that's how long it takes me to decide

who to sentence to death tonight!

A man 15 kilometres to the right or a man 20 kilometres to the left!

Can you hear me?!

Listen to me!

Listen to me!

A man 15 kilometres to the left or a man 20 kilometres to the right...

That's where my district ends...

And sometimes people feel like dying

at both ends of the world at the same time!

Who to sentence to death tonight?

A man 15 kilometres to the left or a man 20 kilometres to the right...

That's where my district ends...

Can you hear me?

And sometimes people feel like dying

at both ends of the world at the same time!

It's our friend. He has a right to explain why he didn't come.

Listen to me! Doctors!

A man is calling for help! Doctors!

Who to sentence to death tonight?

Can't you hear? A man is calling for help!

Don't you recognise me?

You saved my life and you don't recognise me?

I was hoping that when I met you...

So you do recognise me.

Tell me I'm the best...

Go on, tell me I'm the best. Tell me, please.

It's worth living, isn't it? It's worth living.

Watch out, he's coming.

It's really annoying. You're the most annoying.

Don't provoke, I beg of you.

Something needs to be done. I'll punch him!

Alright. But he's over there.

Let's go!

I won't let you.

No! Don't shoot!

Don't shoot at mel

They say our generation is not capable of being heroic.

- To fight... - What for?

What do you mean? For everything.

- It hurts. - What?

My tailbone. How is it called in Latin?

- What? - The tailbone.

I forgot right after the exam.

- What did you forget? - He forgot everything.

Let it go. We're going back.

My tailbone...

What?

Reflexes are fine, Doctor.

You're right, indeed. However they are slightly delayed.

Nevertheless you need to remember, Doctor, that the patient is drunk.

The candles... He's seeing candles.

- What candles? - Candles?

The candles.

- And? Nothing? - Nothing.

No trains at this time of night.

- There'll be a freight one. - Let's go!

Something need to be done!

- You got fat. - I enjoy life.

Don't move!

I'm not moving.

- Disband. - We're about to, for good!

Good!

Stop!

Don't move.

We're taking that train.

It's a freight train.

So it's just about right for those animals.

We have a vet coming with us, just in case.

- Who's the vet? - I am.

Can I put my hands down now?

That's our fare.

Take that note off or it will get blown by the wind.

Gentlemen! Something needs to be done!

To those who've had enough!

Don't worry, sleep.

Something needs to be done...

After all these years, let's look in one another's eyes...

to see who's going to look away.

We paid all the instalments we had to pay except for the last one!

We didn't pay off the conscience!

To us for we're the last ones who didn't ask about the pay!

The real fun starts now.

Now we've learned to ask about the pay,

we're still better than those

who've known how to do it right away.

To our ideas... Stop it! Don't provoke!

This generation is an exceptional one!

Because our generation...

Once more!

Maybe we should plaster that eagle?

For avoiding responsibility...

Forgive him, my Lord.

For not answering the phone

when someone was calling for help in the middle of the night...

Forgive him, my Lord.

For abusing his position...

Forgive him, my Lord.

For he was simply... stupid...

Forgive him, my Lord.

For he was just like us...

Silly you...

I wanted to give it to him.

To him?

It would've been funny, if he'd woken up and confessed.

Was it really for him?

Stop fooling around. What's that?

It stops you from being an arsehole. Gives you freedom...

It's a drug that makes you euphoric.

Was it really for him?

Waste it on him?

Honestly?

I can do it for you.

Shall I give it to him? Everything?

Suit yourself.

More?

One more? Here.

Say... do you take that often? Show it to me.

What do you mean - often?

More often than a year ago. He's against that.

I'll stop after the divorce.

Let me see.

Is it some kind of truth serum?

He can't stand truth.

Why do you hate him so much?

Because he's your husband?

What do you like anyway?

I'll show you.

What are you staring at?

You're waiting for me to cry?

Or undress and throw myself at one of you?

Don't worry.

I've had one and he's had three...

Look at him!

Look at him!

It takes some time for it to work.

But...

Sometimes it's embarrassing.

Since we're stuck in this wagon, we should take one pill each.

To level the chances.

Go on, lie about yourselves.

You'll change your tune afterwards.

Let's start with him...

After graduating...

...not being able to sleep because of his ambition,

he chose his specialisation - prescription writing.

- He put on 20 kilograms... - He has three children.

- Four false teeth... - 2.5 full-time jobs...

His home is not so welcoming anymore...

He drives a Wartburg.

Now you.

My specialisation...

Trips abroad.

Hobby - avoiding being home.

Car - Alfa Romeo.

You don't practise?

Lapsed.

Meaning: doesn't believe in God, then.

- A husband? - Kind of.

Children?

What about children?

Now me.

I was born... a married man.

I don't believe in medicine. I'm a surgeon.

I got a medal. Many thank-you letters...

- Wife? - Ever younger.

- Children? - Ever older.

- Car? - Ever better.

Opel Rekord.

Who's next?

- I don't like silly games. - But I do. Go on.

- I was... - It doesn't matter.

- I'll be... - It doesn't matter.

I am...

Does it matter?

- I am trendy, I have money. - Wife?

Doesn't matter.

- Car? - Alfa Romeo.

I treat animals. I've never been married. That's all.

I've got a car. It's a Zastava after two major repairs.

You used to be so bright...

I dyed my hair back then, too.

- What are you really like? - Ask him.

Finish! I was playing for you!

- You're doing the chin? - Yeah.

Take a break. I'm so tired, I'm going to sleep.

Guys! Nose on the right hand side!

I'm going to check on that chin again. There's a bit of a bulge.

- You can go to sleep. - Bye, my friends.

Let's go back to work.

Bye.

Going back to the suicides...

Even a shot in the palate... Put the glue evenly...

A shot in the palate doesn't necessarily mean it was a suicide.

For example if someone was at the dentist's or laryngologist's...

Or was shot kissing...

Or... at communion.

Exactly! At communion.

Good night.

Or singing!

A Union of Polish Youth member should be neat at all times!

Brush your hair!

Look, everyone! It's ready! Let's put it up!

Holy Mary and Joseph! Look!

Take a look, my friends!

Jesus Christ!

It's all gone!

Primary school, four years of high school,

six years of medical studies... It's all gone!

Jesus Christ!

You're afraid!

Don't want your boss to frown on you.

You're afraid to be out of the elite!

- You're afraid to be cuckolded! - You're afraid to lose the bonus!

You're afraid you won't be allowed to go abroad!

You're afraid your car's going to break!

You're afraid the dog is going to die!

You're afraid to be commissioned!

You're afraid that your maid is going to leave!

You're afraid to lose driving licence!

You're afraid to be expelled from the Party!

These hands are not afraid of anything.

The scars of my patients are the smallest in the country!

I've come here to claim what belongs to me - your jealousy!

You're just a pair of thoughtless hands.

Others cut like this and I do it like that.

Show the scar I made you.

I can't stand someone else touching my wife!

The private procedure room owner! You shouldn't be called a doctor!

I used to be a doctor. But you can be or have.

I've got money! I could buy all of you!

- You? - What about me?

You could've qualified a hundred times!

You've wasted your time! On what?!

If a cow dies on you, you don't need to worry.

Crosses at the cemeteries...

don't do you credit.

What are you...

Why do you look like that?

Stop fooling around.

Let me go!

Let me go now!

Let me go!!!

Where's the knife?

No... Everything but the knife...

I want to live!

I'm well-off. Leave me alone!

Please, not a knife!

I want to live! I like you, my friends!

I love you! I've been so kind to you alll

I gave you a pair of shoes in the dorm! Can't you remember?

Not the knife!

Calm down! It will be over in a minute.

I don't want it to be over. I'm well-off!

I want to stay in that plaster! I don't want it to be over.

I beg of you! I'm praying to you!

Who had the eyes?

Not me. I don't understand.

- Who was responsible for the eyes? - Everyone.

One group was handling the top and the other one - the bottom and...

I also corrected the chin. You remember, don't you?

- We took a break after the chin. - I fell asleep during the break.

There was a bit of a bulge on the chin...

He was doing it with me until the break.

Then he got tired and I didn't want to wake him up.

So you're above all suspicion. You can go.

Wait a minute. It's no good that he fell asleep either.

That proves he wasn't vigilant enough, too.

I had no sleep for three days.

I was studying for an exam.

Why did you take the task if you were so tired?

That's true. But we took it. That counts for something, too.

Especially because it was our last task before the diploma.

I don't know about that diploma...

Not so fast... You said it was your last task?

Do you mean you're not going to take any tasks after you graduate?

That means he put it wrong. It was a slip of the tongue.

Slips of the tongue are grist to the enemy!

In my opinion it must've been planned.

Those eyes didn't have legs.

It couldn't have come there itself.

We had two pieces of each part... in case one was destroyed...

We should destroy enemies of the Party!

How was it possible to overlook such a mistake?

We were kneeling.

We covered the poster with newspapers

for we didn't want it to get dirty.

What else?

He was telling us a bit about forensics, the suicides...

What did he say?

That people who try to commit suicide...

are the enemies of the Party?

You need to judge on your own

whether it's a collective or individual responsibility.

That's right.

It can't be collective... He was asleep.

So he's not responsible... And I went to check on that chin...

And the chin is far away from the nose... That far.

What about you and your sleeping?

That's true. I fell asleep, but...

What?

Nothing.

What's the difference? We're all responsible or none of us is.

Haven't you decided for us before we came in here?

Let go!

Well?!

I'm dead but not crazy.

Come here...

Rah-rah-rah: I haven't punched you yet.

I need to do it. Everyone got a piece of me.

- I'll get you. - That's enough.

I'm persistent. I'll punch you, as I promised.

Don't fool around.

You don't want to slip and hurt yourself, don't you?

- I'm going to punch you. - Easy now.

You're a coward.

Such a coward.

Come here...

Do it then.

Stand right here.

Do as I say!

Hit me!

Hit!

Maybe once...

Don't...

You blame the tablets? It's only massa tabulletae.

You could swallow a kilo, and there'd be no effects.

How much did you put on?

15 kilos. I enjoy life.

Correct. I bet, the rest, too.

We told the story of your life. Wartburg?

- De Luxe! - I've got Opel Rekord.

He's Zastava and these are Mr. and Mrs. Alfa Romeo.

Like during the Occupation: pseudonyms.

Under occupation they used to call themselves Wildcat, Tiger, Steel...

What are you writing?

Zastava.

- We drive all we can... - Thanks to credit.

I'm wondering what cars we'll have at the next reunion.

Jaguar... that sounds like a proper pseudonym.

I wish I had a Jaguar.

Many have become Party members to possess one.

Who's a member then? Who's got what?

A house?

A mistress?

- I don't like silly games. - Really?

Really.

You never know what's real.

Men in a white overall may be surgeons or hairdressers.

What will it be, sir? Trim or trepanation?

But when you see aman in a tuxedo

...or a striped uniform, you know nothing.

Sir? Gas chamber?

Or ballroom?

It's better to be healthy and rich than ill and poor.

I have nothing to say to my kids.

What can we tell them? That's nice and that's naughty?

Do we have anything to say at all?

No.

Except the makes of cars.

How do you know...

...I have to do it today?

There's a note in the showcase.

Expelled from the college, hall of residence and the Union.

That's fast...

I thought it was going to happen tomorrow.

What would you have done tomorrow?

I thought I had one more day.

Take your suitcase, we'll go to my place.

I'll tell the owner you're my brother.

Or you can get through the window.

You can't be seen with me now!

Stop playing a martyr.

You would've told them you were asleep as well!

You!

You were to take her.

I'm bored.

My Lady, your favourite pony is here.

Milady fell down.

The rector made a speech.

Lapse of memory...

The rector made a speech...

What happened then?

We left, don't you remember?

Get off, Milady. The canter is over.

What happened next?

He was reading a letter out loud and you wanted to punch someone.

Me? What letter?

Right! What was that letter all about?

Who's got it? He was reading it at the ball.

You don't know who wrote it?

You don't know either?

You don't remember? Not a clue?

Here...

Not here...

- You shouldn't have burnt it. - Why?

"Romance in the Union of Polish youth" - an old melodrama.

There's no need to remind us of it.

They make the most money in those villages.

My dad went to see one of them... He's in pain, you know.

The vet says, "It doesn't look good.

"You need American drugs." He sold it to him: 30 PLN a pill.

You know what it was? Vitamin B-complex.

Living in second rate part of Poland complex.

What kind of pain does he have?

I don't know.

Why are you holding her like this?

What if she wants to punch someone?

Hitting and punching - you talk of nothing else!

Living in second rate part of Poland complex.

You know, he's got more reasons to smack us in the mouth.

Is that the destination of this ride? I'm getting off then.

No way. You're coming with me because you let me drag you here.

You're like cattle on its way to slaughterhouse.

You're all going!

Phoney!

Coward!

You really believe someone will go?

It depends on who I pick.

- Let's draw straws. - That's lowbred.

Let's use car keys then. It'll be posh.

Zastava is out of voting. He's a vet.

And they need a doctor in there.

You're teasing us, but you don't take risks yourself.

A diploma?

When?

- Where did you buy it? - How much did you pay?

In that case we can draw straws.

Zastava, Alfa, Rekord, Romeo, Wartburg...

Will you go?

I won't let her.

And your specialisation?

As a former vet, he chose treating swine.

He's already started - with us.

Let's welcome our new colleague!

We need to celebrate!

Baptise him as a novice.

You were taken in! The reunion was only to lure you into a trap!

It was an excuse.

They got us drunk and put in this wagon.

There's more people in the next one!

Everyone'll be working in the country!

Who's watching us? We must act!

I know people in ministry...

Our fathers were escaping from such wagons...

Who's being transported?

- All the doctors! - Why?

Because you weren't taking phones at night!

We're not physicians.

You want to blame architects for houses that collapse?

I've never built a house!

Everyone is here - presidents, directors, inspectors...

All the leaders!

Wagons full of people!

Everyone in plaster.

We can't sit here and do nothing about it.

We need to explain...

No! It's better to grease someone's palm.

To show we can afford it. We've got TV sets, fridges...

Let's show them the keys! Let's show everything!

What if we talked frankly to someone?

Frankly? To whom?

To the people who were calling me.

We're no doctors.

- We're not equally responsible. - Our situation is exceptional.

I'm saying no to collective responsibility!

Maybe they'll know it's from us?

Have you gone mad?! My keys!

- Check the kilometre post! - You don't know how to have fun!

You've got spare ones. We don't.

See? I know how to have fun.

To remember...

To forget...

To have a rest...

To find...

To achieve...

To return...

To have fun...

To wait...

Maybe...

it was this wagon?

They used the same ones.

What?

What were they thinking about on their way there?

- We were kids back then. - Maybe they thought about us?

Chlorine, was it?

Zyklon.

How many people fit in such a wagon?

Crowd in here.

We take 1/20 of a wagon.

That means 80 people. Even a 150.

Impossible, a hundred!

- 150! - Let's make it 120.

- 150. - That's correct.

We need to clean our mess!